1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a phase shifting mask (PSM), and particularly to a method of correcting for image intensity imbalance on the PSM using near-field images.
2. Description of the Related Art
Photolithography is a well-known process used in the semiconductor industry to form lines, contacts, and other known structures in integrated circuits (ICs). In conventional photolithography, a mask (or a reticle) having a pattern of transparent and opaque regions representing such structures in one IC layer is illuminated. The emanating light from the mask is then focused on a photoresist layer provided on a wafer. During a subsequent development process, portions of the photoresist layer are removed, wherein the portions are defined by the pattern. In this manner, the pattern of the mask is transferred to or printed on the photoresist layer.
However, diffraction effects at the transition of the transparent regions to the opaque regions can render these edges indistinct, thereby adversely affecting the resolution of the photolithography process. Various techniques have been proposed to improve the resolution.
One advance in lithography called phase shifting is able to generate features on the wafer that are smaller than the corresponding wavelength of the light. These ultra-small features are generated by the interference of light in adjacent, complementary pairs of phase shifters having opposite phase, e.g. 0 and 180 degrees. In one embodiment, the phase shifters can be formed on a phase shifting mask (PSM), which is used in conjunction with a trim mask including protective regions to protect the features defined by the phase shifters and to define remaining structures.
In the PSM, complementary phase shifters (hereinafter referred to as shifters) are configured such that the exposure radiation transmitted by one shifter is 180 degrees out of phase with the exposure radiation transmitted by the other shifter. Therefore, rather than constructively interfering and merging into a single image, the projected images destructively interfere where their edges overlap, thereby creating a clear and very small image between the phase shifters.
Unfortunately, the transmission of light through the complementary shifters (for ease of reference, called 0- and 180-degree shifters) can be non-uniform. FIG. 1A illustrates a cross-section of a simplified PSM 100 including a 0-degree shifter 102 and a 180-degree shifter 103. Note that 0-degree shifter 102 is formed by etching through an opaque layer 104 of PSM 100 to expose substrate (e.g. quartz) 101. In contrast, 180-degree shifter 103 is formed by etching through an opaque layer 104 and then etching into substrate 101 to a predetermined depth.
This PSM topography effect produces an aerial image imbalance. Specifically, FIG. 1B illustrates a graph 105 comparing a first waveform (dashed line) 106 generated by using a theoretical thin mask (i.e. Kirchoff""s) model and a second waveform (solid line) 109 generated by using a simulated EMF model. The peaks of high image intensity, e.g. peaks 107 and 108 of waveform 106 and peaks 110 and 111 of waveform 109, correspond to shifters 102 and 103 of PSM 100 (FIG. 1A). Of interest, peaks 107 and 108 have equal image intensity. However, peaks 110 and 111, which are generated with rigorous computations, have significantly different intensities. In particular, peak 110 (which represents 0-degree shifter 102) has a significantly higher image intensity than peak 111 (which represents 180-degree shifter 103).
An image intensity imbalance can cause a shift in feature location. For example, if an image intensity imbalance results from exposing PSM 100 (FIG. 1A), then the feature produced by that exposure might not be positioned in the middle of shifters 102 and 103, but might instead be closer to 180-degree shifter 103. Additionally, the image intensity imbalance can also result in variations in feature size. This displacement and size variation can contribute to an undesirable feature placement and size (or critical dimension (CD)) error on the wafer.
In some cases, the image intensity imbalance caused by 0- and 180-degree shifters-can be corrected through the application of a predetermined amount of undercut in the substrate as shown in FIG. 2A. Specifically, instead of an anisotropic etch that generates a vertical trench in substrate 204, indicated by dashed lines 201, an isotropic etch can be used to generate a sloped trench 202 that undercuts opaque layer 203. More generally, any suitable etch process can be used. However, as feature sizes shrink below 100 nm, allowable undercut size becomes limited by mask making capabilities and therefore is no longer sufficient to correct the imbalance on its own.
Therefore, in such cases, the undercut methodology can be combined with space biasing as shown in FIG. 2B. Specifically, an opening 210 forming the 0-degree shifter can be biased inward, as indicated by arrows 211, whereas an opening 212 forming the 180-degree shifter can be biased outward, as indicated by arrows 213. Because the size of the 0-degree shifter decreases by an amount the size of the 180-degree shifter increases, the printed feature size should remain constant, which is desirable. Note that space biasing can be performed in some embodiments without undercutting.
FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart 300 in which shifter biasing can be incorporated into tape out (and/or mask manufacture). After a layout is received in step 301, phase shifters can be assigned to various features in the layout in step 302. In one embodiment shown in step 303, these shifters can be separated to different layers based on their width. For example, shifters having a first predetermined width used for forming transistor gates can be separated from shifters having a second predetermined width used for forming interconnect lines. In one embodiment, a design-rule-checking (DRC) tool can perform this separation. A first proximity correction, e.g. rule-based optical proximity correction (OPC), can be applied in step 306 using the shifter information provided in step 303. Note that the term xe2x80x9coptical proximity correctionxe2x80x9d is used generically herein to refer to proximity-correction generally, e.g. resist, etch, microloading, etc., except where from the context it is clear that optical proximity effects in particular are being exclusively considered.
Rule-based OPC can include rules to implement certain changes to the layout, thereby compensating for some lithographic distortions. Specifically, these changes can form features on the wafer that are closer to the original intended layout. With respect to shifters, rule-based OPC can provide the appropriate biasing to the shifters to minimize image intensity imbalance. Note that an undercut is performed during actual manufacture of the mask and therefore does not affect the layout as does space biasing. Space biasing is generally discussed in terms of N nm, wherein the initial width of the 0-degree shifter is decreased by N nm and the initial width of the 180-degree shifter (which is the same as the width of the 0-degree shifter) is increased by N nm. Note that slightly different biases can be applied to shifters in the shifter pair, although this can increase the complexity of computation. In one embodiment, the first proximity correction can provide a single bias and the second proximity correction can provide some refinement of that bias for each shifter in the shifter pair. For simplicity, one bias being applied to both shifters in the shifter pair is described in reference to the embodiments herein.
To provide the appropriate bias information to the first proximity correction tool, methodologies using an aerial image have been developed. These methodologies generally either emulate or simulate the aerial image produced by a stepper system. FIG. 4 illustrates a simplified stepper system in which an illumination 401 passes through a mask 402, thereby producing a near-field image 403. This near-field image 403 is then collected and focused by a complex system of lenses (shown for simplicity as a single lens 404) to generate an aerial image 405. Aerial image 405 corresponds to the image intensity on the wafer plane.
In one embodiment, an aerial image microscope system (AIMS) can be used to provide an emulated aerial image. Specifically, in AIMS, a physical mask is imaged under conditions that emulate a stepper. Thus, conditions associated with illumination 401, such as wavelength (X), partial coherence (a), and exposure dose, as well as properties of lens 404, such as numerical aperture (NA) and aberrations, can be used or approximated in imaging the physical mask. A high-resolution image capture device, such as a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera, can capture a gray-scale image at a theoretical wafer plane. Based on the captured image, various plots, e.g. image intensity plots, of the aerial image can then be calculated. Note that imaging with AIMS is generally first performed on a test mask, thereby allowing various biases to be analyzed before a production mask is made for a specific stepper operating under certain conditions.
In another embodiment, simulation can be used to provide the aerial image. This simulation must account for the conditions and properties associated with the stepper as well as parameters regarding the PSM. These parameters can include, for example, the size of the shifters, the pitch, and the line width of the chrome to be used for the mask. To ensure accuracy, this simulation requires rigorous calculations of electromagnetic field (EMF) scattering in the mask (e.g. calculations based on Maxwell equation solvers, such as the finite-difference-time-domain (FDTD) method). Note that although near-field image 403 is computed, this computation merely serves to simulate aerial image 405, which is the plane of interest (i.e. where the feature generated by the PSM will print on the wafer).
Referring back to FIG. 3, using either an emulated or simulated aerial image, various image intensity imbalances can be identified in step 304. One method of measuring an image intensity imbalance includes determining the maximum intensity at peaks 110 and 111 (FIG. 1B). Another method of measuring an image intensity imbalance includes determining the critical dimensions (CDs) of the shifters. These CDs, such as CDs 120 and 121 of waveform 109, are typically taken at a predetermined mid-range image intensity. The goal of using either the emulated or simulated aerial image is to determine when the image intensity imbalance is zero, i.e. the difference in peak intensities/CDs is zero. When the image intensity imbalance is zero, the 0-degree and 180-degree shifters provide equal transmission, thereby optimizing placement of the associated printed feature on the wafer.
After obtaining the image intensity imbalances using the aerial image, a bias table can be created in step 305. In one embodiment, this bias table can be stored in a library. The bias table can indicate the appropriate bias for particular pairs of shifters, mask properties, stepper properties, and illumination conditions. The OPC tool can access this bias table during rule-based OPC (step 306).
At this point, a second proximity correction, e.g. model-based OPC, can be performed in step 308. In model-based OPC, a real pattern transfer can be simulated (i.e. predicted) with a set of mathematical formulas (i.e. two-dimensional models provided in step 307). In model-based OPC, the edges of each shifter can be dissected into a plurality of segments, thereby allowing these segments to be individually moved to correct for proximity effects. The placement of the dissection points is determined by the shifter shape, size, and/or position relative to other features. After applying the first and second proximity corrections (in any order) to the PSM layout, the phase shifting mask is ready for manufacture in step 309.
One of the main challenges in mask manufacture is the effective use of system resources. Unfortunately, emulating the aerial image using AIMS requires a physical mask, which can take valuable time to make. Moreover, the image capture and emulation components in AIMS are complex, expensive components. Thus, using AIMS adds considerable time and expense to mask manufacturing. Simulation of the aerial image can also expend limited system resources. Specifically, because of the complexity of computation being performed (i.e. the mask topographies as well as the multitude of stepper parameters to consider), simulation of the aerial image can be extremely time consuming and resource intensive. Therefore, a need arises for a method of correcting for image intensity imbalance in a cost effective manner.
In accordance with one feature of the invention an image intensity imbalance for a phase shifting mask (PSM) layout can be corrected using a near-field image. Because an aerial image is not used, various exposure conditions and parameters associated with the stepper need not be considered, thereby significantly simplifying the computations to determine the appropriate correction. Of importance, using the near-field image can provide substantially the same correction generated using the aerial image. Thus, using the near-field image can provide a sufficiently accurate and quicker correction for image intensity imbalance as compared to fully simulating the aerial image.
In one embodiment, the correction for image intensity imbalance includes determining a bias for each shifter in a pair of phase shifters in the PSM layout. The bias can refer to N nm, wherein the initial width of a 0-degree shifter in the pair is decreased by N nm and the initial width of a 180-degree shifter (which is the same as the width of the 0-degree shifter) in the pair is increased by N nm.
Determining the bias can include integrating areas under a waveform, wherein the waveform represents the near-field image associated with the PSM. Specifically, a first area corresponding to a transmission of a first phase shifter in the pair of phase shifters can be integrated. Additionally, a second area corresponding to a transmission of a second phase shifter in the pair of phase shifters can also be integrated. Note that the exposure radiation transmitted by the first phase shifter is approximately 180 degrees out of phase with exposure radiation transmitted by the second phase shifter. After the integration of the first and second areas, a difference between the second area and the first area can be computed. This difference can be divided by the first area, thereby generating a normalized result. This normalized result (called an integrated intensity ratio or IIR) can be used to determine the appropriate bias, i.e. the bias that substantially corrects the image intensity imbalance for that size of shifters.
Determining the bias includes simulating near-field image results and computing the IIR for the given mask properties (e.g. undercut, etch, etc.) and layout properties (e.g. phase shifter width and length, line width of the chrome patterns, and/or pitch). Advantageously, determining the bias does not include simulating the optical and exposure settings of an imaging system usable with the PSM. Because these parameters need not be considered, the complexity of the simulations to compute the image intensity imbalance solution can be significantly reduced. Of importance, using information from the near-field image can provide substantially the same correction generated using information from the aerial image. Thus, using the near-field image can provide a sufficiently accurate and quicker correction for image intensity imbalance as compared to fully simulating the aerial image.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, a phase shifting mask (PSM) layout file is provided. The PSM layout file can include a plurality of shifter sizes. The exposure radiation transmitted by a first shifter in a pair of shifters is approximately 180 degrees out of phase with exposure radiation transmitted by a second shifter in the pair. For each shifter size, an appropriate bias for correcting an image intensity imbalance in the pair of shifters is given.
Advantageously, the appropriate bias is computed using the near-field image. Such computation can take into account specific mask structure and layout properties, but not settings of an imaging system. The specific mask structure and layout properties can include shifter dimensions, undercut, the line width of the chrome patterns, and/or the pitch (i.e. a parameter indicating whether the lines are densely spaced, moderately spaced, or isolated).
In accordance with yet another feature of the invention, a method of generating a PSM having minimal image intensity imbalance is provided. The method can include receiving a layout and applying phase shifting to the layout, thereby generating a PSM layout. In one embodiment, the shifters of the PSM layout can be separated to different layers based on shifter width. A first proximity correction, e.g. rule-based optical proximity correction (OPC), can be applied to the PSM layout based on a bias table. Of importance, the bias table can be created using near-field, not aerial, images. A second proximity correction, e.g. model-based OPC, can also be applied to the PSM layout. After first and second proximity corrections, the PSM can be manufactured.